I’d like to introduce you to my favorite easy cocktail recipe: the St. Germain Cocktail! A blend of St. Germain, gin (or vodka), and lemon that’s topped with a bubbly pour of sparkling wine like prosecco or champagne, it’s effervescent, refreshing, and the sort of beverage I envision myself sipping on at a classy party (or in my pajamas at home).
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Why You’ll Love This St. Germain Cocktail Recipe
- Only FOUR Ingredients. This gin St. Germain cocktail is super easy—we’re talking four ingredients, with nothing you need to prep in advance. Even better? This cocktail takes less than a minute to stir together, meaning you have time to focus on preparing tasty apps (like Brie Bites or Crab Stuffed Mushrooms). It’s living proof that sometimes less IS more.
- Fit for a Celebration. Like an Apple Cider Mimosa, or my Gold Rush Cocktail, this cocktail makes any occasion feel extra special and classy. The bubbles make this St. Germain cocktail one of my favorite drinks to serve for celebrations (although, regular nights at home deserve one of these too). It’s refreshing, festive, elegant, and surprisingly strong.
- It’s Impressive. Even when I’m at my most disorganized in the kitchen, as long as I’m holding a glass filled with this St. Germain prosecco cocktail (or setting out a bowl of Champagne Punch or Christmas Punch), I appear the picture of poise and drink-making excellence. It looks and tastes like something you’d order at a nice restaurant or bar, meaning your guests will never suspect that you whipped it up in mere minutes.
5 Star Review
“I love this cocktail! Especially since no simple syrup is needed! Thank you.”
— Anita —
How to Make This St. Germain Cocktail
The Ingredients
- Gin. My favorite way to make this recipe is as a gin St. Germain cocktail. Whether you are new to gin or it’s your go-to, I highly recommend Hendrick’s for this recipe. Hendrick’s is lighter than most gins and has cucumber notes that are a natural, beautiful pairing with St. Germain.
- Elderflower Liqueur. a.k.a. St. Germain. Here, it stands in for simple syrup (Translation: you don’t have to plan ahead and make simple syrup for this recipe. WIN.) Since elderflower liqueur has its own sweetness, additional sugar is unnecessary.
- Fresh Lemon Juice. For fresh, citrus flavor and to balance the drink.
- Champagne. The bubbles immediately take this cocktail from simple to elegant!
Tip!
You can use Prosecco or another dry sparkling wine in this St. Germain cocktail recipe. Look for a bottle labeled “brut,” which is the driest variety of sparkling wine (think “brutally dry”).
- Lemon Peel. A fun way to garnish your glass!
The Directions
- Prep the Glass. Rub a lemon peel around the rim of the glass, then drop it into the glass.
- Mix the Drink. Add all drink ingredients but the sparkling wine into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and pour into your glass.
- Add the Wine. Top with sparkling wine and SIP!
Storage Tips
- To Store. You can cover and refrigerate any leftovers for up to 1 day, but the champagne will go flat.
What to Serve With a St. Germain Cocktail
- Party Apps. From Whipped Feta Crostini to Bacon Wrapped Brussels Sprouts to Pesto Pinwheels, there’s an appetizer recipe that you’ll love with this cocktail!
- Mains. This cocktail also pairs well with many different main dishes. Try Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Lamb Chops, or Salmon Meuniere.
- Salads. Serve this light and refreshing cocktail with a salad like Couscous Salad, Green Goddess Salad, or Sweet Potato Salad with Bacon.
Recommended Tools to Make This Recipe
- Cocktail Shaker. This one is beautiful!
- Jigger. For the most accurate measurements.
- Citrus Press. This is a great tool for adding citrus juices to drinks!
- Strainer. To keep ice and other unwanted ingredients from falling into your glass.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Fresh Lemon Juice Only. DO NOT use pre-bottled lemon juice, especially in cocktail recipes. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is best and will make a difference.
- Serving Pro Tip. Rub the inside of the lemon peel around the inside rim of the glass before pouring the cocktail. It gives the drink an extra burst of citrusy freshness and flavor.
- Make Sure It’s Cold. No one wants a room-temperature St. Germain cocktail. When you’re mixing up your cocktail, make sure you shake until the shaker is very cold.
St. Germain Cocktail
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Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces dry gin such as Hendrick’s or Tanqueray, or vodka
- 1 ounce St. Germain liqueur
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 ounces brut champagne or prosecco, or other dry sparkling wine
- Lemon twist or peel for serving
- Ice for cocktail shaker
Instructions
- Combine the gin or vodka, St. Germain, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake vigorously until the outside of the shaker is very cold, about 20 seconds.
- Strain into a champagne glass and top with champagne.
- Garnish with a lemon twist and enjoy! (Pro tip: I like to rub the inside of the lemon peel around the rim of the glass first. It gives the drink an extra burst of citrusy freshness and flavor.)
Video
Nutrition
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Sign Me UpFrequently Asked Questions
If you’re intrigued and also wondering, “How do you drink St. Germain?”, I have lots of St. Germain liqueur recipes for you!
– I use it to mix up this St. Germain Margarita.
– At the holidays, this Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail, which uses cranberry juice, is a favorite.
– When I’m in a hurry but still want something special for a party, I’ll make a Kir Royale, swapping St. Germain for the cassis.
If you’ve never had St. Germain, it’s an elderflower liqueur. It was originally created in 2007, and it was named after the St. Germain-Des-Prés area of Paris. It’s naturally flavored, and each bottle can contain up to 1,000 elderflower blossoms (CRAZY).
I’m never one to add a big, fancy bottle of alcohol to my home bar that I’ll only use once or twice a year. I’ve become a St. Germain person, however, and I truly find myself using it often in a variety of cocktail recipes.
St. Germain tastes pleasantly floral, lightly herbal, and sweet without being sugary, and is surprisingly versatile. Think of it like an elderflower syrup, but better.
I love how easy this is! And probably very easy to drink as well! :-)
Almost *too* easy to drink! ;) Thanks, Liz!
Totally to the store to get St. Germain! And you know how much I love French 75s!
I know you’ll love this too!
Nice!! Big cocktail fan over here. However never tried a St Garmail before. Thanks for sharing (:
You should definitely try!
No joke I have a bottle of this right now!
This cocktail is meant to be, Gerry!
I’ll have to try this. Do you mind sharing where your drinking glasses are from?
Allison, are you ready for this? TARGET! $10 for a set of 4. Here’s the link.
I’ll take 3 :)
SOLD! Cheers Lexi!
Can this be made ahead of time in a pitcher?
Hi Kayla! How far in advance do you want to make it? I recommend waiting to add the champagne until right before serving so it doesn’t go flat. I hope this helps!
Spring break starts TONIGHT! Rich will love this and will need it ;)
CHEERS Jennifer! This sounds like the perfect way to kick things off!
Dreaming of summertime gatherings with drinks like this one!
Such a gorgeous cocktail! Looks perfect for Easter brunch this weekend!
Fun drink!
Have you ever had a pineapple martini from Bonefish? Holy Moly! I feel like I’ve been missing out on the greatest drink of my life! The St. Germain just makes it completely perfect! I’d love to have the full recipe! ? It is beyond fabulous!
thank you for this cocktail! I was looking for new ways to use my elderflower liqueur, it’s been patiently in my bar, waiting for me to put it to good use, this will do
Perfect! I hope you enjoy it, Sabrina!
This is called a French 77 when made with vodka, and has been my favorite drink for many years. Another great use for St. Germain is 2 0z Pamplemousse, 1.5 oz. St. germain, 2 oz Vodka, a squeeze of lemon fresh lemon juice all shaken and then seven in a champagne coupe with a fresh basil leaf. Enjoy!
That sounds SO good Tracy! Thanks for sharing and CHEERS!
I had this cocktail recently and it was garnished with a slice of cucumber which obviously brought out the cucumber notes of the Hendrick’s gin and it was delicious! It’s a lovely option to substitute for the usual brunch drink.
Gorgeous looking cocktail! It sounds so delicious too! Perfect to enjoy at any time of the year!
Classy yummy-ness! :)
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Kara! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!
Out. Of. This. World!
Howard, I’m so pleased to hear it. Thanks for sharing this lovely review!
I just made this and sipped it on our porch. It was lovely, and one is plenty!
Cheers Bridget! So happy to hear it!
What do you do with a spare bottle of Prosecco? This is the answer in a champagne glass. It’s a winner – delicious with bubbly or sparkling water to keep the St Germain flavor front and center. One is enough but we usually have a second.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Pier! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I love this cocktail w/the Hendricks! ESP that no addl simple syrup is needed! Thank you.
Hi Anita! So glad you enjoyed the cocktail! Thank you for this kind review!
First time I had this cocktail was at a tasting at the Reagan Library. St Germaine reps were pouring it. It was soooo good !
Hi Elaine! So glad you enjoyed the cocktail! Thank you for this kind review!
Amazing! So good – not too sweet not to alcohol tasting. Honestly be careful because it tastes so good but then hits like a truck
Hi Melis! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Lovely drink, well balanced and easy to make. It is now part of my drink repertoire. Thank you for this recipe ;D!
Hi Jackie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This is a LOVELY cocktail. I tasted the liquor and lemon juice before adding prosecco just to see, and I could drink that by itself! So good! But the prosecco gives such a nice little fizz. Definitely a great, refreshing drink, so it will be on our summer drink menu for sure!
Hi Jess! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Added this to our home bar cocktail menu. It’s become many of our guests’ favorite!!
Hi Danielle! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Lovely drink. Light & refreshing. Easy to make. Will definitely make it again! 👍🏼👍🏼😊
Hi Julie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I think this cocktail has the right ingredients…but way to much lemon juice. It overpowers the drink. You can barely taste the other ingredients amongst it. I recommend 1/4 oz of lime juice instead. Lime actually blends better with St. Germain. Also, a smoother and really awesome Gin that I just discovered from Africa works great with St. Germain…Bayab (the last B in the spelling is done backwards in the branding of this particular gin. Specifically this gin is from South Africa and offers an astounding smoothness. I am going to re-try the recipe with my recommendations once I get through with this overpowering lemon drink…I knew 3/4 was going to be too much…best to trust one’s gut. My friends know me as the improver of cocktails.
I’m sorry to hear the recipe wasn’t to your taste, Jody. I know it’s disappointing to try a new recipe and not enjoy it. I (and many other readers) have enjoyed it, so I really wish they would’ve been a hit for you too!